Display element having variable damping

Abstract

A display unit comprising a touch surface touchable by a user, a drive unit for moving the touch surface when the touch surface is touched, in particular for haptic feedback to the user, and at least one damping element, which damps mechanical oscillations of the movement of the touch surface. Each damping element comprises an elastic element and a pressure setting element (for example, a valve). This pressure setting element is designed to fill the elastic element in a variable or settable manner with gas for the damping. The damping properties of the display unit can thus be set arbitrarily via the gas pressure inside the elastic element.

What is claimed is: 
     
       1. A display unit comprising:
 a touch surface touchable by a user, 
 a drive unit for moving the touch surface when the touch surface is touched, and 
 at least one damping element, which dampens mechanical oscillations of the movement of the touch surface, 
 wherein the at least one damping element comprises an elastic element and a pressure setting element to variably fill the elastic element with gas for the damping, and 
 wherein the drive unit comprises:
 a first housing part mechanically coupled to the touch surface, 
 a second housing part mounted floating in relation to the first housing part, 
 an actuator mechanically coupled to the first housing part and the second housing part, and 
 a third housing part mounted by a first damping element of the at least one damping element and which is arranged between the second housing part and the third housing part. 
 
 
     
     
       2. The display unit of  claim 1 , wherein the elastic element is shaped in the form of an O-ring. 
     
     
       3. The display unit of  claim 1 , wherein the elastic element includes a tube having a self-contained shape. 
     
     
       4. The display unit of  claim 3 , wherein the tube is arranged around an element of the display unit, so that an area which the tube encloses is arranged in parallel to the touch surface. 
     
     
       5. The display unit of  claim 1 , wherein the pressure setting element comprises a valve to fill the elastic element with a gas. 
     
     
       6. The display unit of  claim 2 , further comprising a first valve that prevents the gas from escaping from the elastic element, or a second valve that enables a flow of the gas both into the elastic element and out of the elastic element. 
     
     
       7. The display unit of  claim 1 , wherein the drive unit comprises a piezo actuator. 
     
     
       8. The display unit of  claim 1 , wherein the gas is air. 
     
     
       9. The display unit of  claim 1 , wherein the elastic element encloses the second housing part. 
     
     
       10. The display unit of  claim 1 ,
 wherein the display unit comprises a rear side positioned opposite to the touch surface and arranged on a front side of the display unit, and 
 wherein the at least one damping element comprises a first damping element which is arranged between the touch surface on the rear side and extends inside the display unit at an edge of the display unit. 
 
     
     
       11. The display unit of  claim 1  being positioned in a vehicle. 
     
     
       12. A display unit comprising:
 a touch surface, 
 a drive unit for moving the touch surface in response to a user input being received at the touch surface, and 
 at least one damping element that dampens mechanical oscillations of the movement of the touch surface, 
 wherein the at least one damping element comprises an elastic element and a pressure setting element to variably fill the elastic element with gas to dampen the mechanical oscillations, and 
 wherein the drive unit comprises:
 a first housing part mechanically coupled to the touch surface, 
 a second housing part mounted floating in relation to the first housing part, 
 an actuator mechanically coupled to the first housing part and the second housing part, and 
 a third housing part mounted by a first damping element of the at least one damping element and which is arranged between the second housing part and the third housing part. 
 
 
     
     
       13. The display unit of  claim 12 , wherein the elastic element is shaped in the form of an O-ring. 
     
     
       14. The display unit of  claim 12 , wherein the elastic element includes a tube having a self-contained shape. 
     
     
       15. The display unit of  claim 14 , wherein the tube is arranged around an element of the display unit, so that an area which the tube encloses is arranged in parallel to the touch surface. 
     
     
       16. The display unit of  claim 12 , wherein the pressure setting element comprises a valve to fill the elastic element with a gas. 
     
     
       17. The display unit of  claim 12  further comprising a first valve that prevents the gas from escaping from the elastic element, or a second valve that enables a flow of the gas both into the elastic element and out of the elastic element. 
     
     
       18. The display unit of  claim 12 , wherein the drive unit comprises a piezo actuator. 
     
     
       19. A display unit comprising:
 a touch surface being arranged to move in response to a user input, 
 a drive unit arranged to move the touch surface, and 
 at least one damping element that dampens mechanical oscillations of the movement of the touch surface, 
 wherein the at least one damping element comprises an elastic element and a pressure setting element to variably fill the elastic element with gas to dampen the mechanical oscillations, and 
 wherein the drive unit comprises:
 a first housing part mechanically coupled to the touch surface, 
 a second housing part mounted floating in relation to the first housing part, 
 an actuator mechanically coupled to the first housing part and the second housing part, and 
 a third housing part mounted by a first damping element of the at least one damping element and which is arranged between the second housing part and the third housing part.